Five Hundred Fils 2001, Coin from Bahrain - detailed information

Five Hundred Fils 2001, Coin from Bahrain

Coin

Five Hundred Fils 2001

The Bahraini Dinar was introduced as a currency in 1965, six years before Bahrain gained full independence; it replaced the Gulf Rupee at a rate of 10 rupees = 1 dinar. The Dinar is subdivided into 1,000 Fils (the singular form is also Fils); hence it is usually represented with three decimal places denoting the Fils. The 500 Fils (0.500 Dinar) coin is the largest circulating denomination (larger denominations have been issued as non-circulating legal tender only).

The first use of the denomination was for a silver non-circulating commemorative in 1968. Circulating bi-metallic 500 fils were first issued in 2000 (with a brass centre and a copper-nickel outer ring).

The obverse shows the Pearl (Lulu) Monument in Manama. The state name in Arabic: دولة البحرين is to the left and in English: STATE OF BAHRAIN to the right (both on two lines). The date (in Common Era and common numerals) is below: 2001.

The reverse of the coin shows the value in the middle, in common numerals: 500 and the denomination in Arabic above: فلس and in English below: FILS.

Reverse Inscription

FILS 500 فلس

Edge

Milled

Edge Inscription

None

Notes

Pearl Roundabout or Lulu Roundabout (Arabic: دوار اللؤلؤة)‎ was a roundabout located near the financial district of Manama, Bahrain. The roundabout was named after the pearl monument that previously stood on the site and was destroyed on March 18, 2011 by government forces as part of a crackdown on protesters during the Bahraini uprising.

The Pearl Monument previously stood in the centre of the circle, having been erected in 1982 on the occasion of the third summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which was hosted by Bahrain for the first time in Manama on November 9-11 of that year.